The Take It Back Movement has threatened to stage a nationwide protest over the purported detention of its convener and 2023 presidential candidate of the African Action Congress, Omoyele Sowore, by the Nigeria Police Force.
PUNCH Online reports that Sowore, in the company of his supporters, had arrived at the Force Headquarters in Abuja, Federal Capital Territory, on Wednesday afternoon to honour the police invitation.
The NPF, through the Inspector General of Police Monitoring Unit, is investigating Sowore over alleged “forgery and inciting disturbance.”
The TIB’s National Coordinator, Juwon Sanyaolu, in a chat with PUNCH Online on Wednesday, said, “I have learnt the police have a court order to detain him.”
In a statement issued afterwards, Sanyaolu condemned the alleged “continued harassment, intimidation, and unlawful detention of human rights activist and the Convener of the RevolutionNow Movement, Omoyele Sowore” by the police.
Describing Sowore’s invitation as “politically motivated,” he claimed the police denied the activist access to the petition against him and the identity of the petitioner.
On Tuesday, the police, in a letter addressed to Sowore’s lawyer, Tope Temokun, stated that details of the petition against his client would be provided upon Sowore’s arrival for an interview with the Head of the IGP Monitoring Unit, DCP Akin Fakorede.
Details of the interview have not been known, but videos circulating on social media showed that supporters of Sowore had earlier staged a protest at the police headquarters, warning against the activist’s detention.
Threatening further protests, the TIB Coordinator, Sanyaolu, stated, “Accordingly, the Nigerian people, students, workers, the public, and the entire membership are hereby put on notice for a nationwide protest against the continuous harassment of Sowore, and unlawful use of state institutions to suppress dissent.”
“We are putting all Nigerians on notice, calling on every man and woman of conscience to be ready for a mass action. We will not hesitate to occupy Police Commands across the country until Sowore is released and justice is served,” the AAC’s National Publicity Secretary, Femi Adeyeye, also said in a statement.
Former presidential candidate of the Social Democratic Party, Adewole Adebayo, in a post on X.com, criticised the police over Sowore’s ordeal, saying, “The police are a constitutional body and civil organisation that are not above criticisms.”
“Law enforcement powers should not be used by the police to deter its critics and watchdogs. Critics don’t have to be right to be privileged against unlawful arrest or detention,” he wrote via @Pres_Adebayo on Wednesday.
He said Nigeria “is short of police personnel to confront the multifaceted criminality ongoing in our communities,” adding, “How the police have enough men, materials and mindfulness to spare to spar with @YeleSowore is another study in misplaced priorities at the highest levels.”
PUNCH Online has reached out to the Force Public Relations Officer, Muyiwa Adejobi, for comments. His line was busy when dialed on Wednesday, and a message sent to him had not been responded to as of the time of filing this report.
